Miles Redd on Decorating a Bold and Colorful Family Home

Blake Brunson: So, Miles, I've worked with you for more than four years now, and I know you're definitely not afraid of color. But even for you, this place is boldly colorful.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Miles Redd: There's a strong sense of color, yes, and I do like vivid colors. But I never want you to feel like you are in something that is garish or unappealing because the colors are overwhelming. What I see are rooms that excite me, that make me happy.

It is a happy space! In every room I see cobalt, violet, yellow, red — yet there's a serenity to it.

That is always the great goal, to use strong color but not to be overpowering. People always say I am fearless with color, but if I see it in nature, I know it will work in a home. Every color combination there is, nature has done it before me. Truthfully, color makes me happy. And that was the direction with this apartment — to make a happy family home. The clients really pushed us for a more compelling interior.

This was your second project for these clients.

Yes, these were clients for whom I had originally decorated an apartment a few years ago. Their kids grew older, and they decided they needed more space.

But we had just decorated an apartment for them that was full of beautiful pieces.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: If you buy great stuff, it lasts. 'Buy the best; you only cry once' is the oft-quoted line. When they moved, we didn't need to reupholster or really do anything to their furniture. But we wanted to give them a totally different feeling. My goal was to use their existing furniture but make it feel completely new and exciting to them.

Thus the vibrant wallpapers.

What I love about wallpaper is that it instantly gives a feeling, whereas a painted room requires many layers. Wallpaper immediately provides a sense of fantasy. The couple who live here love the sensation of always being on vacation, so they wanted their apartment in New York to feel that way. And wallpaper can do that for you.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

In the living room, we placed an Ikea chair, French bergères, scenic chinoiserie wallpaper, a Chuck Close self-portrait — how does one reconcile this mix? Why isn't my eye going crazy?

I'm taking a nod from so many people and inspirations. The Ikea chair is sort of a wink at David Hicks, who loved a modern, quirky piece mixed into a Baroque interior. The reason why the disparate elements work together, I think, is because it's a consistent eye that has been selecting and editing things. The upholstery and the walls feel 19th-century. The art and the lamps are definitely 21st-century. I love the combination of the Chuck Close piece, which is a modern portrait, on these very old-fashioned walls — the push and pull of the hard masculinity of the photograph set against the pale, feminine, delicate nature of the wallpaper. That tension is what's exciting in design for me today.

That entry packs a lot of punch.

The couple wanted a wow moment when you walk in the front door. The wife is super-stylish, and she wanted it to feel like an opium den where Yves Saint Laurent had just left the room. We were very much inspired by the aubergine ikat wallpaper and loved that chic madness against the black and white–painted geometric floor.

It looks as if this apartment was just made for their art collection, which I should mention consists of an Ellsworth Kelly, a Damien Hirst, and a Kehinde Wiley, just to name a few.

I did take their art into consideration. I knew the Ellsworth Kelly would just sing on the blue chinoiserie walls. But at the same time, I don't mind adapting to decisions on the spot. Sometimes the most unusual creations are happy accidents. Part of it is planned, but part of it is just showing up at the installation and saying, 'That looks amazing, hang it there.'

What would you say were the happy accidents here?

The collage in the family room. It got a lot more important pieces of art than we intended, but they looked so great together. We liked the mix of high and low, the Josef Albers work hanging among things that are not necessarily as grand. It's that combination of the haute and the humble that always makes a room interesting.

Like the ticking stripe on the custom sofa that I bought in the garment district. Ticking was originally for mattresses, right?

Exactly. I love that sofa.

Me too! What do you love about it?

It's comfortable and low, and it has that loosely gathered skirt, giving it a feminine quality. I love the bolster arm, that it's in something simple like red-and-white ticking, which makes it bright and fresh. There's something utilitarian about it, like an army-navy store.

Beyond the sofa, what was the most appealing thing about this project?

The people who live here are very passionate, charismatic, and stylish, and they pushed me to create a fantasy oasis for their busy lives. Decorating is such an expression of personal taste. They are bright, shiny, happy folks, and I think the apartment is reflective of that spirit.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
House Beautiful participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.